Pistol jig for M1911 hand gun

ABSTRACT

A jig for supporting an M1911 pistols includes a superstructure rigidly mounted onto a base so as to extend upwardly therefrom. The superstructure may be positioned substantially medially along the length of the base. A first detent is formed in the base, adjacent the superstructure and positioned substantially medially across the width. The first detent is shaped to accept cradled snugly therein a lowermost portion of a pistol grip of the M1911 pistol. A second detent is formed in the base, substantially underneath the superstructure, and is shaped to snugly accept cradled therein a hammer portion of the M1911 pistol. An uppermost end of the superstructure has a barrel receiving yoke shaped to receive cradled snugly therein the barrel of the M1911 pistol. The second detent in the base is directly underneath the yoke so as to maintain the barrel of the M1911 pistol pointing vertically upwards.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of devices for supporting hand guns and in particular to a pistol jig device for supporting a M1911 pistol with the pistol barrel pointing vertically upward so as to allow initial field stripping of the pistol.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The model of hand gun referred to herein as the M1911 pistol refers to the family of pistols originating from the model 1911 pistol which was officially adopted by the United States military in 1911 and has since become and remains a very popular firearm with both military and law-enforcement and also with recreational users, sportsmen and with competitive users. What is referred to herein as the M1911 pistol is intended to encompass the family of pistols which originated with the M1911 model and which has subsequently been modified, for example in the M1911A1 model and in various calibres in addition to the 0.45 calibre pistol.

The M1911 is a semi-automatic handgun which employs the principle of using the recoil from the expanding combustion gases from the cartridge to force the slide and barrel rearwardly relative to the handgrip and against the return biasing force of a main-spring acting on the slide. Once the slide has been propelled rearward and the spent cartridge casing extracted and ejected from the firing chamber, the slide is propelled in a forward direction by the main spring so as to strip a fresh cartridge from the magazine contained in a magazine cavity in the handgrip, and so as to feed the fresh cartridge into the firing chamber. The main spring returns the slide to the forward end of the slide's travel where it locks into the barrel ready for the next firing. Consequently it will be understood that the main spring is necessarily a relatively stiff and rugged helical coil spring. In the M1911 pistol, in order to field strip the pistol, the forward end of the main spring, which is contained within a cylindrical metal sleeve, must-be depressed rearwardly, that is, towards the hand grip, so as to compress and shorten the spring length. This allows the user to rotate a retaining collar mounted adjacent the forward end of the barrel. The retaining collar is rotated to remove the constraining collar arms protruding from the collar out of the path of the forward end of the main spring. This allows the main spring then to be decompressed entirely so as to extend the cylindrical sleeve and forward end of the main spring forwardly from the bore of the spring housing located underneath and parallel to the barrel. The remainder of the pistol may be then disassembled for cleaning, repair and the like.

Once the main spring has been released, the remainder of the field stripping of the M1911 pistol is relatively straightforward. However, the initial step of compressing the main spring with one hand while, with the other hand, twisting the retaining collar so as to rotate the arms of the retaining collar out of the path of the main spring, can be quite challenging for a user. In particular it may be very challenging for a recreational user or the like to initiate the field stripping of the M1911 pistol without some way to solidly hold the pistol, for example by trying to balance the pistol against the users lap or on a table top surface.

It would thus be advantageous to have a simple to use, rigid pistol jig, and it is an object of the present invention to provide such a jig, wherein a M1911 pistol may be readily dropped into a rigidly supported position in the jig where the barrel and main spring are aligned vertically in the jig with the hand grip of the pistol firmly held in the base of the jig. Once the pistol is held in the jig a user may, using a conventional tool provided for depressing the forward end of the main spring, press downwardly onto the cylindrical sleeve encasing the forward end of the main spring, thereby shortening slightly the main spring, and with the other hand, twisting so as to turn the collar arms on the retaining collar. The user may merely use a downward weight force, for example by leaning down so as to press down on the tool pressed into the collar to compress the main spring. Once the collar arms have been rotated out of the way, the downward force may be gently released, and the main spring is then free to decompress and elongate fully. Once the main spring has been so released, the pistol may be removed from its resting position in the jig and then completely field stripped.

In the prior art, applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,689 which issued Mar. 17, 1959 to Pribis for a Stand for Pistols. Pribis teaches that his pistol stand is intended to firmly support side-arms such as revolvers and automatic pistols in an upright position whereby the pistol can be viewed and worked on from all sides thereof and so as to retain the weapon in a standing position for display, test firing, work or like purposes. Consequently, Pribis provides a base and a Y-shaped pistol barrel support formed as a recess in a vertical standard extending upwardly from the base. The Pribis pistol stand thus supports a pistol with the pistol handle inclined upwardly and with the barrel pointing horizontally. The advantage of the present invention is neither taught nor suggested by Pribis in that the Pribis pistol stand does not allow a user to bear down on the end of the main spring of the M1911 pistol were the pistol supported in the Pribis pistol stand, because, with the barrel of the pistol supported horizontally, pressing on the forward end of the main spring would merely slide the pistol stand and pistol across the table surface on which the stand is resting unless further restraints were provided on the table to hold the base of the pistol stand fixed relative to the table. Such restraints are neither taught nor suggested by Pribis and would not be expected to be found in the teaching of Pribis in that the pistol shown as being supported in the Pribis pistol stand is a revolver style of pistol, no mention being made of assisting in the field stripping of a recoil based semi-automatic hand gun such as the M1911.

Also in the prior art applicant is aware of various display stands which, like the Pribis pistol stand are intended to hold a pistol so that the hand grip is inclined upwardly and the barrel maintained substantially horizontally. Thus, in the prior art, applicant is aware of stands which are intended to support for example a 1911 pistol by replacing the magazine in the handle grip with an upstanding rigid member extending upwardly from the base of the stand. Thus, the pistol, with its magazine removed, is mated downwardly onto the upstanding member so as to thereby hold the pistol steady for display. One such pistol stand which is sold commercially is the King Arms Display Stand for Pistol-1911, product code KA-PS-01-Colt-BL.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In summary pistol jig for initial field stripping of an M1911 pistol may be characterized as including in one aspect a base and a superstructure, both having voids formed therein to cradle both ends of the pistol with the barrel pointing upwards.

In particular the base may be described as having a length, a width perpendicular to the length, a forward end and an opposite rearward end, where the length extends between the forward and rearward ends.

The superstructure is rigidly mounted onto the base so as to extend upwardly therefrom. The superstructure is positioned substantially medially along the length of the base. A first detent is formed in the base, adjacent the superstructure and positioned substantially medially across the width. The first detent is shaped to accept cradled snugly therein a lowermost portion of a pistol grip of the M1911 pistol when mounted in the jig. A second detent is formed in the base, substantially underneath the superstructure, and is shaped to snugly accept cradled therein a hammer portion of the M1911 pistol when mounted in the jig.

An uppermost end of the superstructure has a barrel receiving yoke shaped to receive cradled snugly therein the barrel of the M1911 pistol when mounted in the jig. The second detent in the base is directly underneath the yoke so as to maintain the barrel of the M1911 pistol pointing vertically upwards when the M1911 pistol is mounted in the jig.

In one preferred embodiment the superstructure includes a laterally spaced apart pair of pillars mounted to the base spaced apart by substantially the width of the base and mounted at the lowermost ends of the pillars are mounted to the base, and the uppermost ends are mounted to the yoke. The pair of pillars may be substantially linear and advantageously inclined rearwardly so that the uppermost ends of the pillars are offset rearwardly relative to the lowermost ends so as to provide a user ease of gripping of the hand grip or trigger housing or barrel or slide of the pistol when the pistol is in the jig. In particular the pair of pillars are inclined rearwardly so as to define an included angle between each pillar and the rearward end of the base. The inclined angle may advantageously be in the range of substantially 60 to 70 degrees.

In one embodiment the yoke includes a barrel receiving notch, and wherein the notch is adapted to snugly receive therein the barrel of the M1911 pistol when mounted in the jig. The superstructure has a height which positions the yoke, and in particular the notch at substantially an upper end of the barrel of the M1911 pistol when the pistol is mounted in the jig.

In one embodiment the base and the yoke are substantially planar, and wherein the base includes an upstanding portion towards the rearward end and which extends between the pair of pillars. The second detent may be formed in the upstanding portion. The notch in the yoke is aligned directly vertically over the second detent. Advantageously, the first and second detents and the notch lie substantially in a centroidally disposed vertical plane extending along the length of the base. The base may further include a cut-out formed in the base between the pair of pillars and extending towards the forward end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following figures, like reference numerals are intended to refer to corresponding parts in each view, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is, in front elevation view, the pistol jig according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is, in right side elevation view, the pistol jig of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 a is the view of FIG. 2 with an M1911 pistol mounted into the jig in preparation for field stripping of the pistol.

FIG. 2 b is the view of FIG. 2 with the initial step of field stripping the pistol completed with the pistol held in the pistol jig.

FIG. 3 is, in rear elevation view, the pistol jig of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is, in bottom view the pistol jig of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is, in plan view, the pistol jig of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 a is, the view of FIG. 5 with the pistol of FIG. 2 a mounted into the pistol jig.

FIG. 6 is, in left perspective view, the pistol jig of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is, in partially exploded view, the pistol of FIG. 2 a field stripped down into its basic components.

FIG. 7 a is, in enlarged perspective view, the retaining collar of the pistol of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Pistol jig 10 is for supporting an M1911 pistol for initial field stripping. Jig 10 includes a substantially rectangular base 12 upon which is mounted an upstanding superstructure which for example may include a pair of generally vertically upstanding pillars 14, mounted across the top of which is a yoke 16. A hammer support block 18 is mounted onto base 12 positioned generally between pillars 14 and underneath yoke 16 to the rear of base 12.

Base 12 has a large cut-out 12 a in the central area of the base, between pillars 14 and adjacent the forward end of block 18. A detent 12 b is formed in base 12, just forward of cut-out 12 a. A notch 16 a is formed in the forward edge of yoke 16, centrally disposed between pillars 14. A detent 18 a is formed in the upper front edge of block 18, centrally disposed between pillars 14, immediately behind cut-out 12 a, and vertically aligned under notch 16 a.

Pillars 14 are inclined upwardly and rearwardly from their base ends 14 a by an angle alpha so as to position the upper ends 14 b of pillars 14 substantially vertically aligned over block 18. Thus, yoke 16 is also positioned over block 18. In particular, notch 16 a is positioned vertically above detent 18 a. Notch 16 a, detent 18 a, and detent 12 b lie in a common vertical plane A. Jig 10 is symmetric on either side of plane A.

An M1911 pistol 20 may be rested in jig 10 and in particular so as to rest the base end 22 a of hand grip 22 into detent 12 b, so as to rest hammer 24 into detent 18 a, and so as to rest barrel 26 into notch 16 a, it being understood, that detents 12 b and 18 a and notch 16 a are sized so as to snugly fit therein base end 22 a, hammer 24 and barrel 26 respectively. With pistol 20 so mated into jig 10, the centre of gravity of pistol 20 is maintained substantially between pillars 14 so that pistol 20 is stably supported on base 12.

Advantageously, base 12 extends rearwardly so that forward end 12 c which extends forwardly of detent 12 b has a substantially corresponding rearward end 12 d extending rearwardly of pillars 14 and block 18. Thus pressure applied due to the weight of pistol 20 resting in notch 16 a of yoke 16 is transferred to base 12 via rigid pillars 14, and any resulting moment applied to base 12 is resisted by the rearward extension of rearward end 12 d resting on a rigid horizontal surface such as a table top.

When a user desires to field strip the M1911 pistol cradled in jig 10, a downward force in direction B, for example using a small flat-bladed tool (not shown), is applied to the exposed forward end of cylindrical sleeve 28 a of main spring 28 so as to release the upward pressure resultant of main spring 28 driving sleeve 28 a upwardly into arms 30 a of retaining collar 30. With the upward pressure bearing sleeve 28 a against arms 30 a released retaining collar may be rotated in direction C so as to rotate arms 30 a clear of sleeve 28 a thus allowing main spring 28 to fully expand to its relaxed position such as seen in FIG. 2 a. Pistol 20 may then be removed from jig 10 so that pistol may be field stripped into its components shown in FIG. 7 as would be understood by one skilled in the art.

The downward force in direction B, and the lateral forces resulting from unintended misalignment by the user of the tool pressing sleeve 28 a downwardly, results in internal forces on the internal spring cylinder 32 in the pistol which are transferred to the jig 10 by the barrel 26 and its associated housing and slide. Those forces transferred to the jig are resisted by the secure mounting of yoke 16 onto pillars 14, and secure mounting of pillars 14 onto base 12. Advantageously, pillars 14 may be inclined by an angle alpha within the approximate range of 60-70 degrees so that forces are transferred along pillars 14 into a position approximately mid-way along the length of base 12, and the resulting moment arm applied to base 12 about the lower-most ends of pillars 14 is resisted by the rearward extension 12 d of base 12.

Thus with pistol 20 snugly mounted into jig 10, the downward force in direction B onto the exposed end of sleeve 28 a may be done by the user using only one hand apply force B. This leaves free the user's other hand to rotate collar 30 in direction C. Thus the initial otherwise difficult first step in field stripping an M1911 pistol becomes relatively simple by using the pistol jig according to the present invention.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims. 

1. A pistol jig for initial field stripping of an M1911 pistol, the jig comprising: a base having a length, a width perpendicular to said length, a forward end and an opposite rearward end, said length extending between said forward and rearward ends, a superstructure rigidly mounted onto said base so as to extend upwardly therefrom, wherein said superstructure is positioned substantially medially along said length of said base, wherein a first detent is formed in said base, adjacent said superstructure and positioned substantially medially across said width, said first detent shaped to accept snugly therein a lowermost portion of a pistol grip of the M1911 pistol when mounted in said jig, wherein a second detent is formed in said base, substantially underneath said superstructure and shaped to snugly accept therein a hammer portion of the M1911 pistol when mounted in said jig, wherein an uppermost end of said superstructure has formed therein a barrel receiving yoke shaped to receive snugly therein the barrel of the M1911 pistol when mounted in said jig, and wherein said second detent is directly underneath said yoke so as to maintain the barrel of the M1911 pistol pointing vertically upwards when the M1911 pistol is mounted in said jig.
 2. The pistol jig of claim 1 wherein said superstructure includes a laterally spaced apart pair of pillars mounted spaced apart by substantially said width, and mounted at lowermost ends thereof to said base, and mounted at uppermost ends thereof to said yoke.
 3. The pistol jig of claim 2 wherein said pair of pillars are substantially linear and inclined rearwardly so that said uppermost ends are offset rearwardly relative to said lowermost ends.
 4. The pistol jig of claim 3 wherein said pair of pillars are inclined rearwardly so as to define an included angle between said pair of pillars and said rearward end of said base, and wherein said inclined angle is in the range of substantially 60 to 70 degrees.
 5. The pistol jig of claim 4 wherein said yoke includes a barrel receiving notch, and wherein said notch is adapted to snugly receive therein the barrel of the M1911 pistol when mounted in said jig.
 6. The pistol jig of claim 1 wherein said superstructure has a height, and wherein said height positions said yoke at substantially an upper end of the barrel of the M1911 pistol when the pistol is mounted in said jig.
 7. The pistol jig of claim 5 wherein said superstructure has a height and wherein said height positions said yoke at substantially an upper end of the barrel of the M1911 pistol when the pistol is mounted in said jig.
 8. The pistol jig of claim 7 wherein said base and said yoke are substantially planar, and wherein said base includes an upstanding portion towards said rearward end and which extends between said pair of pillars, and wherein said second detent is formed in said upstanding portion, and wherein said notch is aligned directly vertically over said second detent, and wherein said first and second detents and said notch lie substantially in a centroidally disposed vertical plane extending along said length.
 9. The pistol jig of claim 8 wherein said base further includes a cut-out formed in said base between said pair of pillars and extending towards said forward end. 